Is Crack Cocaine legal in Samoa?

Legal status

Controlled as a Class A narcotic through its constituent, cocaine. First Schedule item 5 of the Narcotics Act 1967 (official version as at 31 December 2023) names "COCAINE (methyl ester of benzoylecgonine), except when contained in a Class C controlled drug" directly. The only exception the Act names is Third Schedule item 76, "Preparations of cocaine containing not more than 0.1 percent of cocaine base, being preparations compounded with one or more other pharmacologically active ingredients", a dilute, compounded preparation. Crack cocaine is cocaine base itself, prepared at concentrations far above that 0.1 percent threshold and not compounded with another active ingredient in the sense item 76 describes, so it falls within item 5's Class A listing rather than item 76's Class C exemption; the named Class A entry governs and the narrow Class C carve-out does not apply. Second Schedule item 57 separately lists "EGGONINE, its esters and derivatives which are convertible to ecgonine and cocaine, except when contained in a Class C controlled drug" as a Class B narcotic; that entry addresses a cocaine precursor and does not change the Class A finding for crack cocaine itself.

Consequences if caught

Section 18 makes dealing in, possessing, supplying or using a Class A narcotic punishable by imprisonment for life; sections 17 and 18A carry the same life maximum for unlicensed import, export or manufacture. The section 18 proviso (a fine not exceeding 5 penalty units or imprisonment not exceeding 2 years, or both) applies only to a non-wilful or procedural contravention.

If prescribed or medical

No medical or prescription use of crack cocaine specifically is documented; cocaine salt has a limited historical anaesthetic use, but no Samoan authorisation naming a freebase or smokable preparation was located. Section 7(2)(c) exempts supply by, or on the prescription of, a Chief Executive Officer licensee authorised to supply or prescribe narcotics.

Documentation

Import or export of a Class A narcotic requires a Chief Executive Officer licence under sections 10 and 11; no personal-import exemption was located in the text read.

Drug laws and enforcement change and vary within a country. This is not legal advice. Always confirm with Samoa’s embassy or official drug authority before traveling; penalties can be severe, including imprisonment.